Author: Divya - Administrator

Guru Purnima Message 2011

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Dear Fellow Disciple,

May a full moon enter your skull on the night of Guru-purnima.

A disciple is helpless when the mantras flow into his soul from the thousand udders of the cosmic sound-ocean of the Guru.

I have chosen to present them as they have appeared to honour the sacred waves that flow inwards towards us as at an auspicious and blessingsful conjunction of estrellas of grace.

Those celebrating the guru-purnima may this time take a year to daily contemplate the hidden meanings of these mantras received from the Guru.

Tasmai shree-gurave namah: My prostrations, my homage, my surrender, my ‘not mine’ is offered in love to that Guru.

This here is a helpless disciple sharing the guru’s prasada with all other helpless disciples.

Swami Veda Bharati

Guru-purnima 2011

Madhoodakam tRShitaaya chetase

Sanaa jaagran me tanvas tmano vashee

bhraajad-rashmih paavakah shuchih

somo gurur bhadra-geer aasheer-daa bhoot.

Om eem amrtaaya tejase shreem viraaD-gurave namah

Honeyed water for a mind athirst

His speech a blessing conferred from eternity

Eternally wakeful He is Master of my body and soul.

My eyes are affixed upon the visible and invisible

Rays emanating from the feet of that moonlike Deity.

Om Eem1, unto that immortal Light,

Shreem, unto the universe-Expanse Guru

My prostrations, my homage, my surrender, my ‘not mine’ is offered in love.

hRdaa su-peeto vaacho agne rasah 

svarvaan satya rtasyaamitaujasah

praanasyormir aaviSh-kRNvan mayRtam

rashmeer vi-kiran dhRtir indriyasya 

Om a’eem saarasvataaya shreem pRthivyaa gurave namah

 Who is the essence, flavour, savour, juice of fire that is speech,

Drunk in the heart in abandon, the heavenly truth

—of the Perennial Law filled with immeasurable luminous power;

Wave of prana revealing in me that perennial law,

Radiating rays that are the sustaining power

—of all that is in the lord of heaven

Om a’eem, unto the incarnate form of Saraswati,

Shreem, to the guru of Earth

My prostrations, my homage, my surrender, my ‘not mine’ is offered in love.

 

viShNoh karmaaNi tri-padasyoshmasi

dhaatur dhaatraaNi dheeShu dhareemasi

somasyaapaam shikhaah pra pibaamasi

syasya naamnaam dhaamni ni vishaamasi

Om hreem vaiShNavaaya 

shreem aantarikShyaaya gurave namah

We love the acts of that Preserving Lord ViShNu, he of triple stride

We establish and hold the sustaining powers

—of the Sustainer in our intuitive intellects

We drink fully the flames of the waters of soma-moon

We enter deeply the abodes of His Names.

Om hreem, unto the incarnate form of ViShNu the Preserver

Shreem, unto the guru who is dweller of the skies of inner vision

My prostrations, my homage, my surrender, my ‘not mine’ is offered in love.

pashupateh pashavah pashyaama yam

yasya chakShuShaa ni bhaalayaama yam

yash chakShuShor na aa-sthitah svayam

pasyaati tmaanam tasya tmaa cha nah

Om kleem paashupataaya 

shreem divaspataye gurave namah

We who see only with the eyes of senses,

—we the cattle of the Lord of beasts,

—the One Whom we see thus with Whose own eye

He Who Himself dwelling in our own eyes

Sees His self and Whose Self sees our self

Om kleem, unto the very form of the Lord of the beasts

Shreem, unto the guru who is the Master of luminous heaven

My prostrations, my homage, my surrender, my ‘not mine’ is offered in love.

 

Ya upaashraayya mayi shriyo adhi

Mrtyosh chakShmaandham svar jyotir vaarayat

Praavaahayad oormeer oodhasaam shatam

SamudraaNaam maam vi drsho’rNavaanaam 

Om streem sahasra-rashmaye  

Shreem brahmaaNDeshvaraaya gurave namah

Who made me a resort of shree-glories

Warded death’s glances with heavenly light

Made to flow unto me in all varieties

—the waves from a thousand udders of the cosmic sound-oceans

Om streem, unto the thousand-rayed,

Shreem, unto the guru, the Lord of brahma-egg universes

My prostrations, my homage, my surrender, my ‘not mine’ is offered in love.

poorNenduh kalasho yatra soma aa-plutah

yatraaraa rashmeenaam vi-dhRtaa sahasram

tatraa guruh sinchati soonRtaanaam

kaavyaa ushanaa na amRtaa su-jeevaa

Om eem, a’eem, hreem, kleem, streem,shreem gurave namah

Sacred goblet is the full moon where into soma2  is flooding,

the one where the arrays of thousand rays are held variously

—forming sahasraara—

There the guru sprinkles the epics of inspired sweet streams

of poetic speech, like the self-controlled loving sage-poet Ushanas of yore.

These streams are indeed beyond the pale of death;

These are the beautiful beings of very Life.

To that Guru, my prostrations, my homage, my surrender, my ‘not mine’ is offered in love.

Editor’s Note

1 A beeja-mantra of shakti, Energy, potential, that is the Mother divine of the universe dwelling in the Omnipotent. The syllables, shreem, a’eem, hreem, kleem, streem in these mantras are similarly seed-words of different aspects and powers of the Mother Divine. The secrets of these are known to the masters of the mantra science.
2 For an explanation of the word soma, please see Shri Vamadeva Shastri (Dr.David Frawley)’s forthcoming book Soma in Yoga and Ayurveda The Power of Rejuvenation and Immortality, and its Foreword by Swami Veda Bharati. The book is expected to be published within 3-6 months.

http://www.vedanet.com

Vows of a Swami: The Sanyasa Ceremony

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On the day of Shivaratri in 2007, Swami Ritavan took the vows of a Swami. He offers the following reflections of the ceremony.

Nandi Shraddha (offerings that bring happiness) is performed in preparation for the actual renunciation ceremony. First, the blessings and the presence of all the great sages of the past from whom the true spiritual tradition proceeds are invoked.  Then, as in all the cultures of Asia, honor of one’s ancestors is performed by placing little ritual offerings in their names.

For the sanyasa ceremony, Nandi Shraddha is unique because it is performed for one’s own self.  Atmane namah; one’s own self has died and one commemorates that death of one’s own.  The ceremony one would perform for one’s father after he dies, is performed for oneself.  One’s own self has died.

First thing in the morning, one gets up and takes a bath.   Then the head is shaved and Nandi Shraddha is performed.  During the ceremony there are a number of fire offerings into which are offered the body, bones, skin, all the seven constituents of the physical; svaha, it is no more mine. Jyotiham viraja vipatmam bhusam, may I become a being of light, free of dust, free of stain.  I have made this offering of myself.  My prana, apana, vyana, samana, udhana, all my pranas and so each one of these subtler and yet subtler constituents of one’s own being are offered as though they are burnt like a cremation.  In the physical cremation, only the physical body is burned. Here, symbolically, one burns all psycho-emotional and psycho-spiritual identities.

Then one merges with the Gayatri, the mantra.

 Jyotiraham viraja vipapma bhuyasam.

Om bhuvah savitrim pravishami.

Om bhuh sanyastam maya.

Om bhuvah sanyastam maya.

Om svah sanyastam maya.

Om abhayam sarvabhutesha mattah.

Om bhuvah savitrim pravishami, previously one was separate from the mantra.  Now the renunciate enters the mantra, becomes one with the mantra, becomes the walking mantra. Then he stands and he mutters first to himself Om bhuh sanyastam maya, Om bhuvah sanyastam maya, Om svah sanyastam maya. Then he says it a little bit out loud, then he loudly and boldly announces to the world. “I’ve renounced the lower the world.  I’ve renounced the middle world.  I’ve renounced the celestial world.  Abhayam sarvabhutesha mattaha, I grant reassurance to all living beings.  May they not fear me.  I am no more a danger to any living being.” This is a vital part of renunciation.

Then the renunciate, guru, priests and witnesses contemplatively walk to the Ganga for the essential part of the ceremony – the submersion or baptism by taking a dip.  As the renunciates are taking the dip, the priests are standing nearby and are reciting what is known as aprati rata sputa, from the Veda.  It is the hymn of an invincible chariot;  the invincible warrior.  After one has given reassurance to all living beings one is taking the vows, the hymn of the invincible warrior is recited because now ones entire battle is inside. One announces to oneself that he/she will be invincible and victorious.  It is the hymn of inner strength.

The same hymn that was recited when the armies were sent to march against an enemy, that hymn is recited at the same time one has given reassurance to all the living beings that one has become a non-violent being. Now, all of one’s war, if any at all, is against one’s own stains.

On the banks of the holy Ganga, the guru gives to the disciple a new name. He teaches the new swami one or more of the Great Sentences (Maha vakyas) of Vedanta; this for contemplation on. Monastic robes are given; robes the color of the rising sun. The guru says, “Wherever you walk, you bring peace of the morning, of the light of dawn, the light of the rising sun.”

 The ceremony concludes with the offering to the Vishnu or all-pervading one, which the renunciate has now become one with.  One is the all pervading one; one is no longer separate.   The state of trance at that moment is truly unique.  It is a certain force that carries one’s consciousness to a different state. One is hardly aware of anything outside the body because this body is no longer “you.”  It’s not oneself being worshiped; it is the deity one has now become one with which is being worshiped on the altar of your skull.  The ceremony ends with the receiving of the alms, the biksha.  Because the sanyasi owns nothing, he owns everything.

Editor’s Note:

On February 8th, 2010, Shiva Ratri, at Sadhana Mandir Ashram on the banks of the Ganges, the vows of a Swami were taken by Swami Uttamanand Bharati (formerly Brahmachari Uttamani) and Ma Richa Bharati (formerly Rinnia Pinto).

2011 Thanks at New Years

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Here are some “thanks” in several languages from Swami Veda, written just minutes into the “new year” of 2010. More languages will be added as the translations arrive.

English

May the Lords of Sanctity sanctify each of your 21600 breaths daily

May the Divine Ladies of Serenity serenade each hour of your day

May the Godly keepers of gentleness continue to caress your mind gently

May the Mothers of Hours in the universe mother your mind every hour

May the Revelers of Truth reveal one cosmic truth to you every day

May the moons of your fortune never wane but only wax every month

May Those who grant Insights to the sages grant you new insights in every season

May many saints and sages visit your mind and your home to bless your family throughout the year

May Kubera the Treasure keeper of gods increase your treasures through the whole year

May the Masters of Time guide the hands of your clocks towards Infinity

 

Russian

Пусть Владыки Святости освятят каждое из ваших 21600 ежедневных дыханий.

Пусть Божественные Госпожи Покоя успокоят каждый час вашего дня

Пусть Божественные держатели мягкости продолжают мягко гладить ваш ум

Пусть Матери Часов вселенной ежечасно будут матерями вашему уму

Пусть Открыватели Истины раскрывают для вас единую космическую истину каждый день

Пусть луны вашей удачи никогда не идут на убыль, но только прибывают каждый месяц

Пусть те, кто дарит озарения мудрым, даст вам новое озарение в каждое время года

Пусть многие святые и мудрецы посещают ваш ум и ваш дом и благославляют вашу семью весь год

Пусть Кубера, хранитель Сокровища богов, увеличивает ваши сокровища весь год

Пусть Владыки Времени ведут стрелки ваших часов к Бесконечности

Thai

ขอให้เทพแห่งอิทธิฤทธิ์ ประกอบพิธีศักดิ์สิทธิ์แด่ลมหายใจทั้ง 21,600 ครั้งของท่าน ทุกวัน

ขอให้เทพธิดาแห่งความสงัด มอบความสงบแด่ท่านทุกโมงยาม

ขอให้เทวดาผู้ทำนุจิต ถนอมใจของท่านให้อ่อนโยน

ขอให้มารดาแห่งจักรวาล บริบาลท่านตลอดไป

ขอพระผู้นำทาง ชี้ทางแห่งสัจจะแด่ท่าน

ขอดวงจันทราแห่งโชคมิเคยแรม หากนวลเพ็ญอยู่ทุกเดือน

ขอปราชญ์ผู้ปราดเปรื่อง บันดาลดวงตาธรรมแด่ท่านทุกฤดู

ขอบรรดานักบุญ เยี่ยมครอบครัว เยือนในใจของท่าน ตลอดปี

ขอเทวดาที่ดูแลทรัพย์ เพิ่มพูนสมบัติให้ท่านมหาศาล

ขอเจ้าแห่งกาล จูงนาฬิกาชีวิตของท่านไปสู่นิรันดร์

สวามีเวทะ ภาราตี

Hindi

पवित्रता के दिव्य सम्राट प्रतिदिन आप के २१,६०० श्वासों को पवित्रता प्रदान करें

प्रशांति की देवियाँ प्रतिदिन के प्रत्येक घंटे आपको प्रेम संगीत सुनाएं

मृदुता के ब्रह्माण्डदेव बिना अटके प्रतिक्षण आपके मन को अपना मृदु स्पर्श देते रहें

ब्रह्माण्ड के घंटों की माताएं आपके हृदय को प्रति घंटे अपना मातृत्व प्रदान करती रहें

सत्य का साक्षात्कार कराने वाली शक्तियां प्रतिदिन आपको ब्रह्माण्ड के किसी एक सत्य का साक्षात्कार कराएँ

आपके सौभाग्य के चंद्रमाओं की कलाएं प्रतिमास कभी घटें नहीं, केवल बढती ही रहें

वे शक्तियां जो ऋषियों को सूक्ष्म अन्तर्दृष्टि का प्रसाद देती हैं ; आप को प्रत्येक ऋतु में नूतन नूतन अन्तर्दृष्टियां प्रदान करें

असंख्य संत तथा ऋषि गण आप के मन और घर के अतिथि होकर आयें और पूरे वर्ष आप के परिवार को आशीर्वाद देते रहें

देवताओं के सम्पदा रक्षक कुबेर पूरे वर्ष आपकी संपदाओं की अभिवृद्धि करें

महाकालेश्वर भगवान आपकी घड़ियों की सूइयों को निरंतर अनन्त का पथ प्रदर्शन करें

Korean

신성의 신께서 당신의 매 이만 천육백 번의 호흡들을 매일 축성하게 하소서.

고요의 신성한 여신이 당신 하루의 매 시간 세레나데를 연주하게 하소서.

온화를 지키는 신께서 당신의 마음을 계속해서 부드럽게 어루만지도록 하소서.

우주에 있는 시간들의 여신들께서 당신의 마음을 매 시간 보살피도록 하소서.

진실의 향락자들께서 매일 하나의 우주적 진실을 당신에게 계시하도록 하소서.

당신의 행운의 달이 결코 줄어 들지 않으며 단지 매달 커지도록 하소서.

성인들에게 통찰력을 주신 분들이 매 계절 당신에게 새로운 통찰력을 수여하도록 하소서.

많은 성자와 성인들이 한 해에 걸쳐 당신의 가족들에게 축복을 내릴 수 있도록 당신의 마음과 당신의 집을 방문하게 하소서.

신들의 보물을 보호하는 쿠베라께서 한 해에 걸쳐 당신의 보물들을 증가시키도록 하소서.

시간의 마스터께서 무한을 향한 당신의 시계들의 시계바늘들을 인도하도록 하소서.

스와미 베다 바라티

French

Que les Seigneurs de la Sainteté sanctifient chacune de tes 26100 respirations quotidiennes
Que les Divines Dames de la Sérénité fredonnent chacune des heures de ta journée
Que les Divins Gardiens de la gentillesse continuent à caresser doucement ton esprit
Que les Mères des Heures de l’univers cajolent  ton esprit à chaque heure
Que les Épris de Vérité te révèlent  une vérité cosmique chaque jour
Que les lunes de ta fortune ne déclinent jamais  et qu’elles ne fassent que progresser chaque mois
Que Ceux qui accordent des Intuitions aux sages t’en offrent de nouvelles à chaque saison
Que de nombreux saints et sages se rendent chez toi et dans ton esprit afin de bénir ta famille tout au long de l’année
Que Kubera le gardien du Trésor des dieux accroisse tes richesses toute l’année
Que les Maîtres du Temps guident vers l’Infini les aiguilles de ton réveil

Italian

Possano i Signori della Santità santificare ognuno dei tuoi 21600 respiri quotidiani

Possano le Divine Signore della Serenità rasserenare tutte le ore della tua giornata

Possano i Devoti Custodi della gentilezza continuare dolcemente ad accarezzare la tuamente

Possano le Madri delle Ore nell’universo coccolare la tua mente ogni ora

Possano i Disvelatori della Verità rivelarti ogni giorno una verità cosmica

Possano le lune della tua fortuna mai essere calanti ma ogni mese essere solo crescenti

Possano Quelli che donano Intuizioni ai saggi concederti ad ogni stagione nuove idée

Possano tanti santi e saggi visitare la tua mente e la tua casa per benedire la tua famigliadurante tutto l’anno

Possa Kubera il custode del Tesoro degli dei accrescere le tue ricchezze per tutto l’anno

Possano i Maestri del Tempo condurre le lancette dei tuoi orologi verso l’Infinito

Spanish

Que los señores de lo Sagrado santifiquen cada una de tus 21600 respiraciones diariamente.

Que las señoras divinas de la Serenidad te den serenata cada hora del día.

Que los poseedores divinos de la Gentileza continúen acariciando tu mente suavemente.

Que la Madre de las Horas en el universo mime tu mente a cada hora.

Que los reveladores de la Verdad te revelen una verdad cósmica todos los días.

Que las lunas de tu Fortuna nunca desciendan sino solamente crezcan cada mes.

Que aquellos que otorgan información a los Sabios te concedan nuevas percepciones en cada temporada.

Que muchos santos y sabios visiten tu mente y tu casa para que bendigan a tu familia durante el año.

Que Kubera, el poseedor de los tesoros de los dioses, aumente tus tesoros a través de todo el año.

Que los Señores del Tiempo guíen las manecillas de tu reloj hacia el infinito.

German

Mögen die Herren der Heiligkeit jeden deiner 21600 Atemzüge an jedem Tag heiligen

Mögen die himmlischen Damen der Gelassenheit jede Stunde deines Tages erklingen lassen

Mögen die göttlichen Wärter der Güte nicht damit aufhören, deinen Geist sanft zu liebkosen

Mögen die Mütter der Stunden der Welt deinen Geist zu jeder Stunde umsorgen

Mögen die Wahrheitstrunkenen dir jeden Tag eine kosmische Wahrheit offenbaren

Mögen die Monde deines Schicksals niemals schwinden, sondern jeden Monat zunehmen

Mögen jene die den Weisen Einblicke gewährten, dir zu jeder Zeit neue Erkenntnisse zuteilwerden lassen

Mögen viele Heilige und Weise deinen Geist und dein Haus besuchen, um deine Familie über das Jahr hinweg zu segnen

Möge Kubera, der Schatzmeister der Götter, deinen Reichtum über das Jahr hinweg vergrößern

Mögen die Herrscher der Zeit, die Zeiger deiner Uhren in Richtung Unendlichkeit stellen

Report from Guru Purnima 2010

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“Were you able to join Guru Purnima on line? Murari from Oregon and Smita and Neela were here, Joanne from India too. People from close and far,” Veena Haasl-Blilie asked. People from Guyana came to The Meditation Center in Minneapolis to attend this year’s celebration.

“Swami Veda’s Guru Purnima celebration was broadcast live from Minneapolis – 26 July 2010 and via Skype to the Swami Rama Sadhaka Grama (SRSG) Ashram in Rishikesh  as well as simultaneously to the Milwaukee Center. The “Bharati Radio” broadcast was heard by many throughout North America.” – svb

Sadhakas came to Swamiji’s initiation room at Swami Rama Sadhaka Grama in the early morning hours to participate. “We were all gathered together in the initiation room, watching the whole message this morning. It was so beautiful.”

The Yoga Society in Milwaukee, USA invited people: “Celebrate Guru Purnima with a live internet broadcast of Swami Veda! Guru Purnima, or the Full Moon of the Guru, is the annual occasion for honoring and expressing our gratitude towards the Guru or Divine Teacher. Everyone is welcome to this informal gathering and group meditation.”

In individual homes from the East to the West, people listened.

“Wonderful reception last night with Swamiji’s most inspiring radio broadcast! It was clear with no interruptions,” from a thank you e-mail from Toronto, Canada. “We stayed in silence but also tuned in to the Winamp broadcast to hear Swamiji and the other Swamis. Before the talk Swami Veda led us in a Manasa Puja meditation in the cave of the heart….a wonderful experience before sitting in silent meditation.”

And from Washington state, USA, “The live internet broadcast came through clearly in Washington state! We used the Winamp Player and Shoutcast,com. Two of us listening on one computer. Thanks.”

Far more were joined together in their hearts and love as people sat for the full moon meditation on Guru Purnima.

As Swamiji has invited us, “When all sit together at the same time even in different parts of the world, they connect to the Universal Guru mind and generate a strong field, like so many magnets being joined together and forming a much stronger magnet; the strength of each then equals the combined strength of all. Thus it is when we join together in meditation, and together enter the Guru-mind’s Field. On certain days of the year the Wave of Beauty and the Wave of Bliss flows very strong. These are the sacred days.”

Tom Prideaux tells us “videos of Swami Veda’s lectures will be posted on SVVC (Swami Veda’s Video Club) available worldwide via Amazon’s Cloud technology, and soon available on DVD via www.swamiveda.org”

Next Broadcast

There will be another pubic internet broadcast via Shoutcast (with video to SRSG ashram in India), Aug 8 from 7-8:30 pm (Central time, USA) at St Maron’s. The lecture is titled “Peace on Earth Meditation with a Recitation of the Lord’s Prayer”. It is scheduled to last 1½ hours.

Swamiji will skype broadcast another lecture from Minneapolis.

How to Listen

  1. Check the time in your local area, please go to: TimeAndDate.com (will open a new window preset to correct time and date).
  2. To listen to the free Shoutcast broadcast, you can download the free Winamp Player from here: http://www.winamp.com/player or use Windows Media player by going to swamiveda.com or  bharatifoundation.org and clicking on the player icon in the top left corner where it says “Swami Veda Radio”.
  3. Go to www.shoutcast.com and do a search for Bharati Radio. When the station appears, click on the listen button.
  4. – or –
  5. Go to www.swamiveda.com or www.bharatifoundation.org and click on one of the buttons under “Swami Veda Radio” in the upper left corner.

Go to www.youtube.com/swamiveda for videos of Swami Veda’s talks.

PS videos of Swami Veda’s lectures will be posted on SVVC (Swami Veda’s Video Club) available worldwide via Amazon’s Cloud technology, and soon available on DVD via www.swamiveda.org

Meditation Research Institute

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The Meditation Research Institute at Swami Rama Sadhaka Grama was created to bring together the ancient wisdom of the Himalayan traditions and contemporary science. It aims to present the former in a way that is appealing and comprehensible to all people today. The main objective is to document the various meditative techniques of these traditions and to test their effectiveness with scientific tools and methods.

We are currently offering programs in the areas of:

  • community services
  • research
  • education

The community services program consists of offering biofeedback training and meditation and relaxation tests to the ashram community and other visitors.

We are currently offering biofeedback training for:

  • lowering blood pressure by breathing more slowly
  • improving heart rhythm coherence
  • improving diaphragmatic breathing
  • reducing migraines by raising skin temperature
  • managing stress by lowering skin conductance
  • reducing muscle tension

We also provide comprehensive diagnostic tests to see the effects of relaxation and meditation on body and mind. The tests can measure the following parameters both before and during meditation:

  • electrical activity in the brain – the eeg provides brain wave values (such as alpha, beta and delta waves), which indicate levels of brain activity / relaxation
  • skin temperature
  • skin conductance of electricity
  • muscle activity
  • heart rate
  • diaphragmatic breathing volume and rate

Regarding research, our main goals are to document the different meditation techniques of the Himalayan traditions as currently taught by Swami Veda Bharati and to better understand meditation by studying different meditation traditions and techniques through advanced neurophysiological technology and methodology, which include a BioSemi 64 + 8 channel EEG device, other psychophysiological sensors, and softwares such as a ProComp Infiniti (Thought Technology), and a sound-reduced, partially electrically-shielded meditation room for the controlled acquisition of the data

Research projects

At present we are testing with the ProComp Infiniti device the EEG, skin temperature, skin conductance, muscle activity, heart rate, and respiration rate and volume of the ashram’s gurukulam students every 3 months as part of a longitudinal study to see their progress in meditation.  We are also testing with the BioSemi device some of Swami Veda’s advanced students before, during, and after their silence annual retreats at Sadhana Mandir Ashram.

We are also part of an international research project started by Dr. Arnaud Delorme, CERCO, Toulouse, France, with the collaboration of Dr. Rael Cahn, Psychiatry Department, University of California, San Diego, USA, and Dr. Delorme’s graduate students to compare attentional and affective states, among other things, of advanced meditators coming from diverse Hindu and Buddhist traditions. Our Meditation Research Institute at Rishikesh is serving as the main site for the acquisition of data.

For that, we are bringing meditators from different Buddhist (Tibetan and Vipassana) and Hindu (Ramakrishna, Isha Foundation) traditions as well as control subjects with no meditation experience. Meditators are exposed to auditory, visual, and skin stimuli while either meditating or engaging in a mindwandering task. Non-meditators or control subjects are exposed to the same stimuli while either engaging in breath awareness or mindwandering. The data is captured with the BioSemi device, measuring EEG, eye movement (EOG), heart electrical activity (ECG), breathing rate and amplitude, and galvanic skin resistance (GSR). The data will be analyzed in France and the USA and comparisons between meditative and non-meditative states of the different techniques and traditions studied and between meditators and non-meditators will be made. Then publications in top journals will follow.

The purpose of this project is to prove that all meditation practices decrease attentional engagement to distracting stimuli and reduce emotional reactivity in different ways. By better delineating the distinct neural correlates to meditative experience, as well as the correlation between brain activity changes and physiologic parameters such as autonomic tone, breathing, and heart activity, the idea is to arrive to a better understanding of the neural basis of consciousness. This might not only have considerable theoretical repercussions on the way we understand attention, but it also may contribute on a practical level to the development of more effective clinical interventions for people with attention disorders or excessive emotional reactivity.

We are currently working on the implementation of a new project on yoga research that will consist of measuring if mitrasana, sukhasana, and shavasana, as taught by Swami Veda, together with heart rate variability biofeedback, have a positive effect in reducing blood pressure and, ultimately, hypertension. Our hypothesis is that a therapeutic training that combines multimodality biofeedback with asana and diaphragmatic breathing, as taught by Swami Veda, may have swifter effects on BP reduction than the same training done without paying attention to position for people who suffer stress-related hypertension. Our objective is to find which of the three yogasanas selected are more effective for correcting hypertension. We will study 60 subjects with hypertension stage 1 recruited in Rishikesh. The study might be funded by the government of India for two years, but as of 31 July 2009 their decision has still not been made.

Education program

It consists of teaching the ashram’s staff and gurukulam students who are or will become yoga teachers about our biofeedback and tests available so they can refer their students, other ashramites, and visitors to our lab when deemed appropriate.

Guru Purnima Message 2009

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To Everyone with Love

 

Giant jasmine full moon

spreads scented lights through skies

so the heart lilies open, bloom

breeze their fragrances to waft

lift earth-dwellers’ minds aloft

 

Jasmine’s lilies; fragrances mingled

spread, perfume all attuned minds;

such perfume named all-cosmos Guru

pours into every world’s very pores

perennial endless wisdom true

 

May your thus Guru-perfumed mind

scatter its fragrance far and wide

wash the smelly ill thoughts aside

so the world enraptured, be-stilled

wrapped in a motherly perfume’s cloak

— You, to delicate lianas a sturdy oak —

may rest in your high elevating

jasmine-moon-sweet Guru-mind

 

May Gurus of all lineages above

looking at you freely rain down

loving glances of soothing compassion

listening to your sonorous teaching voice

among themselves in their kailasha rejoice.

 

Guru-purnima

7 July 2009

 

2008 Guru Purnima Message

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I pray to the divinity in you.

We offer our worship to the Guru of all Gurus, the teacher of all teachers, the perennial, the eternal Guru, the formless, the transcendent One.
We offer our worship to hiranyagarbha, the Guru, the teaching spirit of the universe whose body this universe is. To hiranyagarbha, the golden womb, the teaching spirit of the universe whose body this universe is.
We offer our worship to the manasi-srishti, the mind creation, the first Gurus whose bodies consist only of mind, who are the mantreshwaras, the lords of the mantras, embodying the entire cosmic mystical sound -the background Om in all sounds and in lights of which we are but particles of the mantric light and sound.
We pay homage to Brahma-rishis, deva-rishis, the rishis, the sages, the seers of the celestial realms and their decedents, the rishis of this Earth who brought their mind bodies into physical bodies, remained embodied for a time, and then went back to being the mind-beings and then
We pay homage to the entire lineage of all the Gurus begun and initiated by the rishis before the Orders of human history — the entire chain whose numbers are not countable in millenniums, centuries, years;
Yet, who, dwelling in their mind-bodies continue to touch our minds so that there arises in us from time to time an aspiration to ascend, and
By whose grace we are brought to the particles of light and sound which becomes our sacred linkage to these sources of our initiation —
—-who send forth the mantras,
—-who make the mantra rise and whirl in our minds by their secret, sacred mind presence.
Unto them we pay homage and to the last of our lineage, to our Gurudev.
We undertake a pilgrimage to visit them in their cave, the cave of our heart where we perform worship to them.
2008 Guru Purnima Message
Swami Veda Bharati
The Meditation Center, Minneapolis, Minnesota, USA